CNC machines are widely used in industry for manufacturing components or parts. CNC machines are advantageous because they utilize computer-aided design (“CAD”) and computer-aided manufacturing (“CAM”) programs to manufacture components to exact specifications in continuous, automated processes. The production of a component from a blank or a raw material might require the use of different cutting tools such as milling tools, radius bits and drills. Therefore, CNC machines also allow for the interchangeability of tools during a continuous, automated manufacturing process for a part or component.
One use for CNC machines is subtractive manufacturing, or processes where parts of a blank or raw material are removed, for example, by milling, drilling, and grinding. For additive manufacturing, or the process of adding material in certain shapes to create a part or component, the use of three-dimensional (“3D”) printing has increased in both industrial and consumer applications. 3D printing uses extruded materials, oftentimes plastics, for depositing material to create free-standing parts, or to add components to a pre-existing part. However, 3D printers are expensive and provide only small work volumes in which a part can be manufactured.
Thus, a self-contained material processing unit such as an extruder device that is interchangeable as a tool with a pre-existing CNC machine would be desirable. A CNC machine would provide a larger 3D work volume in which a part could be produced, and such an interchangeable extruder device would reduce the need to buy a separate 3D printing device. The additive manufacture enabled by an extruder device would complement the subtractive manufacture of a CNC machine. A user could access a CNC machine console as a CAD/CAM programming station to program a combined additive/subtractive, continuous, and automated manufacturing process for a component.
The present disclosure therefore provides an interchangeable unit adapted to couple to a computer numerical control (“CNC”) machine comprising: a holder that couples to a spindle of the CNC machine; a controller, wherein said controller is configured to receive the rotational speed of the spindle as an input; and a material processing unit, wherein said material processing unit executes a first function in response to a first rotational speed range of the spindle and executes a second function in response to a second rotational speed range of the spindle.
The present disclosure also provides an extruder adapted to couple to a computer numerical control (“CNC”) machine comprising: a holder that couples to a spindle of the CNC machine; and a generator supported by the holder that converts rotary motion of the spindle into power for the extruder, wherein the extruder provides extruded material to form a part in response to a speed of rotation of the spindle.
The present disclosure also provides a system for at least one of additive and subtractive manufacture of a part comprising: a computer numerical control (“CNC”) machine, wherein said machine includes a spindle; an extruder, wherein the extruder provides extruded material to form a part in response to a speed of rotation of the spindle; a generator that converts rotary motion of the spindle into power for the extruder; and a filament source adapted to provide filament to the extruder for placement in a space to form the part.
The present disclosure further provides a method of additive and subtractive manufacture of a part comprising: providing a holder for coupling with a spindle of a computer numerical control (“CNC”) machine, wherein said holder is further configured to couple with a material processing unit and a subtractive tool; depositing material within a space to form the part with the material processing unit in response to a speed of rotation of the spindle; and removing material from the part within the space with the subtractive tool.
The present disclosure further provides an extruder adapted to couple to a computer numerical control (“CNC”) machine comprising: a microprocessor that controls the operating state of the extruder according to a rotation speed of a spindle of the CNC machine, wherein the extruder provides extruded material to form a part in response to a speed of rotation of the spindle.